The Portland daily press., 1887-01-14
IN CUSTODY.
Blackstone Arrested at Winnipeg by
Detective Wormeil.
How the Hiding Place of the Fugitive
was Discovered.
The Crime of Forgery Alleged
Against Him.


A despatch was received here yesterday
morning from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Fstating
that Howard L. Blackstone, the defaulting
discount clerk Of the Canal National Bank
Of this city, had been arrested by Detective
Mckenzie of Winnipeg. at the request of
Sheriff Wormell of Oxford County, Maine
assisted by U. S. Marshal Campbell of st,
Pail, Minnesota. The dispatch further
stated it was thought Blackstone would ac-
company the detectives to Maine without
awaiting the usual extradition papers.
dispatch, corToborative of this one, was
semitic this city yesterday morning by the
Associated Press from Winnipeg
Upon application to the officers of the bank
for confirmation of the dispatch, and further
details, the answer was made that they had
nothing to give. They had not received any
dispatch announcing the arrest. 1t was re-
ported that as soon as the methods by which
Blackstone obtained the money from the
bank became known the directors appointed
committee, of which Mr. Elias Thomas was
chairman, to take measures for Blackstone's
arrest, IL 1t should appear that a charge
Of forgery could be maintained against him.
This committee advised with Byron d. Yer
rill, Esq, who came to the conclusion that
the crime of forgery could be proved. Upon
this the committee of directors employed
Detective Wormell to secure Blackstone's
arrest and extraditon. 1t was not known to
what part of Canada Blackstone had gone
and the detective at once went to work to
ascertain this.
In order to ascertain the truth of the re-
port, representative of the PRESS asked
Mr. Thomas about the matter Mr.. Thomas
said he had nothing to say. Whatever Mr.
verrill, who is counsel for the bank, chose
to say he could
Mr.. Verrill said he should be glad to give
all the Information in his power, but, as
counsel, there was but little he could say.
The whole matter, he said, is in the hands of
detectives. The bank has not applied for
any extradition paper to secure Mr.. Black
stones return, neither have the bank officers
or myself heard of his arrest except what we
have seen in the public prints.
It'll understood that just before Christmas
Mrs. Blackstone sent to the bank to inquire
what part OF the furniture of the house she
could retain; the house already having been
made over to the bank. The bank told her
all of it. Mrs. Blackstone then started with
her children for the West, on the Boston g.
Maine noon train Dec. %. Detective Wor-
nell had her Swallowed previous to this time,
and he ascertained that she had come in
town the evening previous, and was stopping
with her sister. He expected she would
leave on that nights Pullman, but she did
not, nor on the morning trains, waiting until
noon. Mr.. Wormell, who was unknown to
her, occupied the same car. When Boston
was reached, she took carriage and drove
around town considerably. giving Mr.. Wor-
nell the impression that it was part of a
preconcerted scheme to throw any officer
who might be watching her off of the track
At Chicago the same course was repeated.
When st. Paul was reached, Mrs Blackstone
and family went to er-broiher-in-law's s, who
is In business in that city. Here detectives
were employed by Mr.. Wormell to watch
this gentleman's house and store. Mr. Wor-
nell came on east for few days. to qualifE
as sheriff Of Oxford county, and then return
ed to st. Paul, arriving there a few days ago.
After he arrived it was ascertained that a
registered letter had been received at the
post office In st. Paul from Winnipeg, direct
ed to Mrs. Blackstone's brother-in-law, but
really intended for her. 1t was sent by G.
+. Cox, which, was a name that Blackstone
had assumed, and contained his adj
dress and some money. Upon the receipt of
this letter Mrs. Blackstone and family left
for Winnipeg, followed by Messrs. Wormell
and Campbell. Upon arrival at Winnipeg,
which is about sixty miles from st.
Paul, Mr.. Blackstone received his family,
and to his chagrin and her grief was arrest
ed by the officers.
Mr.. Blackstone, alias Cox, had no money in
his possession when arrested. He has been
employed asa collector for several Winnf-
peg firms.
Blackstone Was arraigned in Court at
Winnepeg yesterday morning on charge of
forgery, but the case was adjourned for six
days.
The only extradition treaty with Great
Britain now in force is the treaty of 1912,
and under this Blackstone must be extra
dited If at all The crimes recited in that
treaty are murder, assault with intent to
commit murder, piracy, arson, robbery,
forgery and the utterance of forged paper.
One OF the necessary conditions for the sur
render of prisoner charged with any one
OF these crimes is that the evidence of his
criminality shall be such as would be suffi-
cient, according to the laws of the place
where the fugitive is found, to justify his
apprehension and commitment for trial il
the crime or offence had there been COM
mitted
Thu dam nd for he A.. RI A..
nal must proceed from the supreme political
authority of the demanding State. The de-
mand for Blackstone's extradition must con-
sequently proceed from the President. He
may act of course through the Secretary of
State or some other official. The English
extradition act Of 1870 recognizes demand
made through consul general or consul.
But fugitive may be arrested and held to
await extradition papers on foreign warrants
or depositions, or statements Oh oath or
copies thereof. The English extradition
acts forbids his surrender, however, until
fifteen days have expired after his commit
ment. What has been done in the Black
stone case undoubtedly is to secure his COM
mitment to await demand for extradition
from the President. If he is surrendered he
must De tried In this country for the same
offence for which he was extradted. There
was long controversy between our govern
ment and the government of Great Britain
ON this point. the former contending that a
man might be extradited for one offence and
tried for another, and the latter taking pre-
cisely the opposite view No agreement was
arrived at but recently our own Supreme
Court has decided that the British view is
the correct one. So If Blackstone is extra
dited for forgery he must be tried for forgery.
he cannot be tried for embezzlement The
only forgery which is extraditable is the
common law forgery. Under the New York
code false entries are styled forgery and it
was attempted to extradite New York
bank defaulter on that charge. The attempt,
however, was we think, after long discussion
abandoned.